Honking..... Harrassment.......Horse Shit

"Harassment is being defined as actions that put a cyclist in danger. It also prohibits using a car horn or other actions "frightening or disturbing" to a bicyclist"

I ran across this piece of creative drivel via a link on Tonys Kansas City. The Columbia Missouri City Council on Monday will consider an ordinance that would make harassing a bicyclist a Class A misdemeanor. Harrassment includes honking your horn. The proposed ordinance is based on a state law passed in South Carolina. I imagine it is only a matter of time before Cycling Advocates/ activists attempt to pass such a law in the KC metro area. Upon passage the first act should be to ticket a modest 60 percent of the people I see riding bikes throughout the city, for operating a vehicle in an unsafe manner. Before anyone and everyone who rides a bike gets their spandex plum smugglers in a wad, let me say this only applies to those of you who believe a bike belongs smack dab in the middle of traffic. If you think that riding in huge packs, half drunk, like the retards who play rebel the last Saturday of every month, yes Critical Mass douche nozzles I mean you, then the following vitriol applies to you as well. If you think it is perfectly acceptable to run stop signs, red lights, cut diagonally across traffic, slow down dozens of vehicles while peddling in the middle of traffic rather than move over, or any of the countless reckless acts I see bike riders regularly commit, then please be offended, because that is my intention.

This ordinance is a glaring example of a group of people who want it both ways. They expect to be afforded complete use of public roadways, but cant be bothered to use those roadways in a safe and responsible manner. Biking advocates love to parade out the occasional, bike meets car, bike rider gets maimed or killed, it's always the cars fault propaganda. Never mind that half the time the bike rider failed to operate his bike in a safe and responsible manner. Forget the fact that he may have had no lights, reflectors, helmet, or common sense. There is a sense of entitlement among some cyclists, an "I fuckin double dog dare you" attitude that is pervasive in many cyclists. The guy who was killed riding his bike in the dark across the paseo bridge is a prime example. Cyclists used this death to advance the cause for a bike lane to be built on the bridge, because pedaling an extra mile east on Indy avenue to get north of the river without crossing a bridge on a highway is too much effort. Cyclists can abandon all common sense, act in an irresponsible manner, and then blame it on the vehicle moving at 5 times their speed at hundreds of times their weight.

Look, I'm all for bike lanes, I believe that folks who choose to pedal about town have every right to do so without fear of being run over. The problem is a large number of cyclists have no regard for the faster, heavier, vehicles that the roads were originally intended for. Now it appears they also wish to enjoy use of the roads, but don't want to be subject to a car horn even if it is honked to prevent Mr. tight britches from becoming a day glo spandex speed bump. There is a double standard that cyclists live by. They want it both ways, well so do I. If you are going to slow ride your ass down the middle of the road like a car, you should be required to abide by the rules and regulations of the road. You should be licensed. That means a written and driving test. You should have tags. You should be required to have your bike inspected prior to being tagged. That means lights, reflectors, but no horn because it might startle me. You should be required to carry insurance. That way when you cut out in traffic after blowing a light and you get smacked by a two ton vehicle, the blameless driver can recoup the cost of having the damage repaired. Sound reasonable? Depends on your mode of transport. To most cyclists, or at least those who think being honked at is tantamount to harassment, I'm sure it sounds like Ive got a major hard on for anyone riding a bike. I don't, just those who feel they can ignore the rules that apply to cars, while bitching about unsafe drivers.